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Empowered by Faith: Embrace Your Spirit of Boldness

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II Timothy1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Encouragement of Paul to Timothy

Timothy was young and had a similar spirit of Paul (Philippians 2:19-20). He does the work of the Lord as Paul did (I Corinthians 16:10), who is Paul’s beloved and faithful son in the Lord (I Corinthians 4:17), having a good cheerful spirit (Acts 18:5) and is a faithful steward (Acts 19:21-22.)

Paul encourages Timothy, saying “I am continually praying day and night remembering…..”

  1. Your Sincere Faith, Genuine faith (II Timothy 1:5)
  2. Prayerfulness, Mindful of your tears (II Timothy 1:4)
  3. Holding steadfast the sound words from Paul. (II Timothy 1:13 – 15)

Paul instructed Timothy that (II Timothy 1:8)

  • He should not be ashamed of the Gospel.
  • He should not be ashamed of The Gospel preacher.
  • He should be a partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel.

Why? The GOSPEL.

It Saved us, Called us with a Holy calling, Blessed us with His own purpose & Grace and Planned for us even before the time began.

Spirit of Boldness/Courage:

Romans 8:15: “you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father.”

  • Once, we were under the bondage of sin and of this world, but now we received the Spirit of Freedom and Sonship to break every bond (Ephesians 2:1 – 6; John 8:32 – 34).
  • We have Not received the Spirit of Fear and Terror (Hebrews 2:14).
  • Fear of Death
  • Fear of our Future
  • Fear about our Children
  • Fear of unbelievers

Adoption:

  • Sonship means the same rights and privileges as being born in the same family, having the right to call “Abba, Father”.
  • The slaves are never allowed to say ‘Abba’ to their master.

We read in Romans 8:16 -17: 16 The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.17 Not only children but even heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

Also, Proverbs 28:1 says, “……. the righteous are as bold as a lion”.

Examples:

  • Early disciples witnessed Lord Jesus’s resurrection with boldness. (Acts 4:13) When they saw the boldness of Peter & John, they found that they were with Jesus. If we also have such fellowship with Jesus and with the power of the Holy Spirit, then we will also be able to witness Jesus Boldly.
  • Paul and Barnabas preached the Gospel boldly (Acts 13:16; Acts 14:3).
  • Joseph of Arimathaea went boldly to receive the body of Jesus (Mark 15:43).
  • Jonathan boldly went to face the enemies singlehandedly saying to his servant “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” (I Samuel 14:1).
  • Four lepers at the city gate entrance boldly said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’ (II Kings 7:3)
  • Esther went before the King boldly to intercede for her People. “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).

Spirit of Power:

Luke 24:49 says, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Dunamis means Inherent Power/ Power to reproduce itself.

Paul reminded Timothy,

  • To fan into flame the gift of God given to him, “to stir up the Spirit” (II Timothy 1:6).
  • Do not neglect your gift, which was given to you through prophecy when the elders of the church laid their hands on you (I Timothy 4:14).

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his Glory and Goodness (II Peter 1:3) (I Corinthians 2:14)

Demonstration of the Spirit and Power. (Romans 15:18 – 29; Hebrews 2:4; Mark 16:17 – 20)

Spirit of Love:

I Corinthians 13:4 – 7

  1. Patience: believes, hopes, and endures all things, suffers long.
  2. Kindness: love in action.
  3. Generosity: not envious or jealous
  4. Humility: does not parade itself
  5. Courtesy: Polite, never rude or discourteous.
  6. Unselfishness: seek good for others.
  7. Good temper: never irritated
  8. Righteousness: love in conduct, hate sin, not glad when others go wrong.
  9. Sincerity: Always Honest, not a hypocrite, never boastful.

Spirit of Sound Mind:

Galatians 5:22 – 23 describes the Fruit of the Spirit.

We need to overcome all the problems and difficulties we face in our life, for which God has given us the Power of Understanding.

God has indeed given us such boldness and power to witness our Lord and demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit in this world.

As Matthew 5:16 says, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, do you have such courage to share the word of God in this present dark world? Let’s pray that our Lord and Savior, the true Light of the World, gives light to everyone to shine.

The Mercy Seat

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Exo 25:17-22

After 430 years as predestined by God the same day the Israelites were brought out of the bondage of Egypt. They were made to camp at the foot of Mount Sinai and God asked them to prepare themselves by fasting for 3 days and purify them, so that God can speak to them. As told God came down upon the mount and spoke to them, which was terrible fearful sight and Israelites decided not to hear God directly, instead wanted Moses to talk to God.

But God wants to dwell among us and talk to us. God showed the model of tabernacle on the mount and told Moses to build similar tabernacle in the middle of the dwellings of the 12 tribes. Now to build the tabernacle and all things in it. God asks His people to give offering willingly out of wholeheartedness. (Exo 25:1-2) God had made Egyptians give their silver and gold to Israelites when they came out of Egypt, they had things to offer.

The Mercy Seat

God gives specifications to make ark of covenant covered by the mercy seat. Mercy seat means covering. This ark of covenant is foreshadowing of our Lord Jesus. It is made up of shittim wood which symbolize humanity and the gold covering symbolizes divinity. As our Lord Jesus walked upon earth as 100% man and 100% God.

This ark of covenant has 3 things in it. (Heb 10: 4,5)

i) Golden pot with manna

ii) Aaron ‘s Rod

iii) Two tablets of commandments

All these represent our Lord Jesus, Aaron’s Rod represents testimony of the chosen the high priest role of Lord Jesus. The Golden pot with manna refers to our heart filled with  the word of God ( Mathew 4:4) man doesn’t live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth, in the Gospel of John 6:35, Jesus says HE is the bread of life. The 2 tablets refers to the Law of Moses.

Why this mercy seat should cover the ark of covenant?

NKJV Bible. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of the God. Roman 6:23 wages of sin is death. Law kills and can’t make anyone righteous because even if one Law is violated one is guilty of not following the entire Law and should be killed for violating the law. God covered this Law with mercy.  This mercy seat covering the law covers all the sins. So, we can go near God. Cherubim is model of God’s throne of grace.

1. Mercy seat is a place of receiving grace, forgiveness, place of redemption.

When a sinner cries to God accepting his sin and repents, God forgives through HIS mercy. 1 John1 :7.

Because Jesus paid the penalty on the cross once for all and sat at the right hand of the Father God (Heb 10:11,12)

Blood of Jesus Christ covering our sin and we have boldness to come near mercy seat. (Heb 10:19)

John 1:16 “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

Col 2:14 “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it”

Roman 3:26;25 1 Thes 5:9 “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” God removes the judgment from us by breaking the law and the mercy seat prevails over law.

2. Mercy seat teaches us the Pattern of Worship and Offer sacrifice to God.

Lev 16:14,15.”He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

[15]“Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.

Lord Jesus became the lamb.”

The mercy seat needed to be sprinkled with blood.  Jesus shed the blood on the cross for you and me.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering, and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. … [8] For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

Roman 12: 1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

3. Mercy seat teaches us the Pattern of Interceding Prayer.

Exodus 25:22 “And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.”

This is the secret place of prayer. Heb 4:14; Lev 7:89–place where we meet and talk to God.

Our prayer, intercessor being answer through Jesus.

Lev 7:89 “Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.”

Today our body is the temple of God. Holy Spirit resides in us, He fills our heart with living Word of God (Golden pot of manna) and He pour out love of God (Romans 5:5). Glory of God shining in us (2 Cor 3:18) The Shekinah the visible presence of God overshadows us. Whenever we approach God in prayer, we shed tears of joy, our heart fill with praises. While we praise our God, God is descending in clouds of praises, there we hear and speak with God.

Disciplined prayer life keeps our body in God’s presence as temple and this way that we built the Ark of covenant within us.

If you do not have real communion with God then you do have reason that Christ is not in your first place, not honoring God, you are seeking worldly things, and you are far away from God.

Salvation is the hidden treasure [Mathew 13:14]. Receive this salvation and workout our salvation fearfully Considering all other profitable things a loss. [Phil 3:8, Isaiah 55:1; Rev 3:18]

Due to this mercy seat we come near God.

Mercy prevails over LAW. If we submit ourselves to God as pleasing sacrifice, we can be in communion with God all the time, as Immanuel “God is with us” now in our Spirit making us HIS temple.

We really need to Thank God for HIS abundant unchanging mercies.

Halleluiah. GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST.

The Destiny and Identity of God’s People

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Exodus 19:5-6

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Almighty God delivered Israelites from the bondage of slavery in Egypt and brought them to the Mount Sinai. They camped under the mount and God revealed Himself and taught them who these God’s children are. There is lot of difference between how this world sees us and how does God see us. Even in the life of Joseph we see that his father Jacob’s household who were shepherds came to Egypt, were not respected by the Egyptians.

Similarly, the world may look down upon Christians or sometimes we ourselves think inferior about ourselves, but God wants us to know how we are seen by Him.

Let’s go through some verses which reveal us this.

1.The armies of the Lord

Exodus 7:4 But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

Here we see God addresses Israelites as ” My armies”

Exodus 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.

Here as “armies of the Lord”. God looks at us as a mighty Army, so we just need to obey Him instantly just as a national army obeys its commander.

Gen 47:4 So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.”  In heaven God has armies of angel but in earth we are the armies of God.

Are we army or are we coward?

Eph 6:10;11 says we need to wear the armor of God to fight against the principalities and overcome the powers of darkness. Yes, the army of God must be ready to fight the enemy wearing the armor of God.

Zechariah 9:8 God camps around His army to watch over them. Isaiah 47:4 God of army or Lord of hosts.  Joshua 5:13;14;15 Lord God is the commander of the army. God doesn’t leave us alone but walks ahead of us as the commander. Exodus 13:21;22 God goes ahead of us and breaks the obstacles. Exodus 14:19- Also God protects HIS ARMY front and back from the army of Pharaoh.  Ex. 2 Chronicles 13:12 God himself is with us as our head.

2.A Special Treasure.

Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.  Exodus 6:7; Titus 2:14, 1John 3:1 All these verses we see how much God loves us and calls us HIS own people who are bought for good deeds through The precious blood of HIS only begotten son Lord Jesus.

3.The kingdom of priests.

Exodus 19:6 ,1 peter 2:9– we are Royal priesthood who always stand in front of God.

Stand between people and God pleading and interceding. Always giving praises to God.

4.The First Born

Fourthly, God addresses Israelites as HIS firstborn, who is eligible for double portion blessings

Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. God considers us as heirs in the line of Lord Jesus and our dwellings place is in heaven. (Phil 3:20; Col 1:15, Gal 3:26)

We are only sent to this world temporarily to fulfill God’s purpose and then we will be taken back to heaven.

So, we need to lead a very disciplined life. We have divine Father, if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Since we do have such privileges, we ought to well-disciplined and having of good moral culture.

5.The Holy People.

Exo 19:6 God calls us HIS Holy People.

God lets the people fast for 3 days to purify themselves before HE could give them commands in exodus 20.

HE is a Holy God. Moses 19: 23,24 warns people not to come near the mount.

Exo 20: 18-20 Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, people trembled with fear. Now all the people witnessed the thundering, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”

God revealed Himself literally because i) to test the people ii) they do have God fear iii) so they don’t sin.

Today this magnificent God Holy Spirit dwells in our body. 1 Cor 3:16;17. We are the temple of God.

Many don’t have fear of God as they don’t know themselves nor know their God. Eze 43:12- says Holiness is the law of the temple. So after being redeemed by the blood of Christ and taken baptism and our names written in the book of life, we are now the children of The most High God and God’s Spirit lives in us.

So how fearfully we need to live a holy life as we are HIS Holy People. (Heb 10:19)

Let’s always remember and worship God.

Halleluiah. Amen.

Return to God with Weeping

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Jeremiah 50:4-“In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come ,and they shall seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it ,saying Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten. “

Almighty God prophesied through Jeremiah that though the God’s people were sent into captivity to Babylon due to their persistent disobedience to the word of God, after 70 years they will return to their land .

What kind of return was this?

It was a wholehearted return with a thankful weeping to worship God the Father who has remembered them and brought them back to their own land. Ezra 3:12 As we see that these people who once worshipped God were taken as captives in their young age  and remained  in the enemy’s land with no such worship. But now after 70years they come back as elders of old age with weeping and joy to once again  worship and seek God wholeheartedly.

Even during these days of the pandemic,  the church suffered similar situation of no worship in the churches due to Lockdown. But now by God’s mercy , as we come back to our church worship, what is the state of our hearts?

Is our worship full of repentance and shouts of  thanksgiving ?

How do we return to God and seek HIM?

For The Bible says many blessings upon those who seek HIM earnestly.

  • Lament 3:25–.”The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seek him.”
  • Psalms 9:10-God does not forsake them.
  • Psalms 34:10- they lack no good thing.
  • Psalms 40:16– those who seek God rejoice and are glad in HIM.
  • Psalms 69:32- their heart is revived, and they are healthy.
  • Amos 5:6- says seek the Lord and live.
  • Isaiah 65:10-says God prospers them who seek HIM.
  • Hosea 10:12 – says this is the time to seek God.

Yes, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ,  we need to seek God with all our mind and heart , meditate on HIS goodness, read and meditate on His word with humble broken spirit.

Never let go one day without seeking HIM in prayer and bible meditation.

Jeremiah 50:5  here the returned people want to establish everlasting covenant with God through our Lord . because the earlier covenant they broke it by not giving the due respect and honour to God through their disobedience .

We all have made this eternal covenant through water baptism. But are we careful enough to keep it safe?

Covenant itself is giving production, covenant with Almighty God which is eternal by always keeping our face turned towards GOD and diligently walking in HIS ways .

This is what the people of God did when they returned from their captivity.

They turn their face towards Zion and ask the way to Zion, the church of God.

Today we find different groups of people in church. Some of which are as follows:

  1. Many do not turn towards ZION/Church, neither want to know the way. They are satisfied with their worldly life, seeking temporal things
  2. Some slightly turn their face towards Zion, but don’t want to know the WAY, they live with secret sins, practice all immorality, alcoholism, etc., but just come to church as spectators.
  3. Some others seek knowledge, but their life is far away from God with no personal experience of salvation. They know forgiveness of sin and salvation through Christ is very important, but don’t have personal experience of the joy of salvation which comes through forgiveness of sins.

It is not possible to reach Zion without following Christ, He is the only way to Zion.

Isaiah 2:3 “Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.  ” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Our Lord teaches us His way, through Bible, Holy Spirit, and servant of God. The way of Zion is the narrow gate, having pain, sorrows but it leads you to Zion

Mathew 7:13,14  “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

People return from Babylon they really understood their transgression and deeply repented, turned towards God and Zion , decided wholeheartedly that they would thereafter only listen to God’s counsel and serve Him alone and thus stay in the eternal covenant with God.

Which group do we belong to?

Though life is full of struggle, we need to constantly listen to the Holy Spirit and walk in God’s ways.

When the people return like this, how does God bless them?

  1. Jeremiah 50:19, God brings them back to green pastures and satisfy their souls.
  2. And he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan; His soul shall be satisfied on Mount Ephraim and Gilead. (Michael 7 :14,15 God leads them through the path of wonders.)
  3. Jeremiah 50:20 God shall forgive and blot all their sins and iniquities and replant them in their land.

Halleluiah what a wonderful God we serve?

HIS faithfulness and mercies endure forever.

Come church, Lets decide to worship this wonderful God wholeheartedly and seek Him first all our days of life.

Amen.